Method and Apparatus for Using Control Plane to Transmit and Receive Data

1. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising: a transceiver, a memory and a processor configured to establish a packet data network (PDN) connection with a wireless network; the transceiver, the memory and the processor, on a condition that the WTRU has a small amount of data to transmit, further configured to transmit a radio resource control (RRC) connection request message including a corresponding indication for a control plane only connection; and the transceiver, the memory and the processor further configured to transmit the small amount of data over a control plane via a non-access stratum (NAS) message, wherein a user plane connection is not established with the wireless network and other user data is not exchanged with the wireless network.

2. The WTRU of claim 1 wherein the transceiver, the memory and the processor are configured to establish the PDN connection by establishing an IP address.

3. A method comprising: establishing, by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a packet data network (PDN) connection with a wireless network; on a condition that the WTRU has a small amount of data to transmit, transmitting, by the WTRU, a radio resource control (RRC) connection request message including a corresponding indication for a control plane only connection; and transmitting, by the WTRU, the small amount of data over a control plane via a non-access stratum (NAS) message, wherein a user plane connection is not established with the wireless network and other user data is not exchanged with the wireless network.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the establishing the PDN connection includes establishing an IP address.

5. An evolved NodeB (eNodeB) comprising: a transceiver, a memory and a processor configured to exchange messages with a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU), wherein the exchanges messages establish a packet data network (PDN) connection with the WTRU; the transceiver, the memory and the processor further configured to receive a radio resource control (RRC) connection request message including a corresponding indication for a control plane only connection; and the transceiver, the memory and the processor further configured to receive a small amount of data over a control plane via a non-access stratum (NAS) message, wherein a user plane connection is not established with the WTRU and other user data is not exchanged with the WTRU.